Next Purchase: Shadow

[dachness]

Awesome information GeneBray and burningssquirrels!

Thanks for referencing that N320 is cleaner than Titegroup. The person recommending Ramshot Silhouette thinks its just as clean burning as N320. It looks like Ramshot silhouette is slightly more expensive than Titegroup but closer to the cleanness of N320.

burningssquirrels: Do you have any experience with wolf primers? I have 5k of them. I have 2 extra 13lb main springs and hope to cut some coils off and see how low I can go. Any suggestions on how to achieve a good balance?

[burningsquirrels]

Wolfs are hard. Unfortunately, when I loaded a small batch with them, I only lit off 1 or 2 out of ten. The rest were light strikes. I don't have any other mainsprings other than factory, cut factory, and cut 13#... The factory lights them off. I didn't bother trying to see how low it went, I sold the primers. That doesn't mean that a 13# or 15# wouldn't light them, though. Try loading some and see what happens. Worst case is you sell or trade them.

For what it's worth, Federals light using a cut 13# in my gun. "People" report that 13# lights off CCI and Win primers, but I've had some light strikes in my case... Enough to know that a 15# lights just about anything. Come to think of it, I think that's what I have in my single action 40B, but I run CCI in that gun.

Your mileage may vary.

Short answer: I found them hard. Try it by all means though.

[burningsquirrels]

On the 'good balance' part: I had a three pack of 13# springs. I started cutting a 13# spring until one session I had some light strikes. So I took the next uncut 13# spring and cut it one coil less than the first.

Now, everyone's gun is different, but I've found myself at about 2.5-3 coils cut off. Not saying it'll work for you.

Someone put a pull gauge against my gun, the DA is measured at 6 lbs-ish, with SA being around 3lbs-ish? dunno how accurate it is though, the gun was wiggling and we were in haste.

thing about DA pulls... the amount of energy going into pulling the DA trigger is the same energy (roughly) transferred to the primer, minus energy wasted in friction. in other words, keep in mind that a DA pull can only be as so light before it will no longer light off a primer. energy exerted by the firing pin on the primer comes from being hit by the hammer. hammer force is the energy stored in the mainspring. energy is created by compressing the mainspring, and that's put there by cocking the hammer. cocking the hammer is done in a DA pull by pulling the trigger the whole length. so, the total minimum pull weight is determined by the energy needed to light the primer plus energy needed to overcome friction in the action. you get the idea..... nice DA pull means soft primers and a super silky smooth working action.

Edited July 21, 2010 by burningsquirrels

[oddjob]

burningssquirrels,

what was your clays load? I'm curious. I use N320 right now and am happy with it, but it does cost more.

[burningsquirrels]

I have no idea off the top of my head. to be honest, if it was a nice light load, i'd use it. it's cheap and plentiful. BUT, at 127 pf i was at the pressure limit, it was pretty dirty, and it metered like crap because of the large powder donut/pancake-shapes.

[GeneBray]

Awesome information GeneBray and burningssquirrels!

Thanks for referencing that N320 is cleaner than Titegroup. The person recommending Ramshot Silhouette thinks its just as clean burning as N320. It looks like Ramshot silhouette is slightly more expensive than Titegroup but closer to the cleanness of N320.

burningssquirrels: Do you have any experience with wolf primers? I have 5k of them. I have 2 extra 13lb main springs and hope to cut some coils off and see how low I can go. Any suggestions on how to achieve a good balance?

I'm using Wolfe SR primers right now for practice and local matches. Since I have a large amount of R&P brass I use if for my loading right now (saving the Fed and Win for later). I have to seat the Wolfe primers VERY deep to get consistent ignition-- .007". Normally, I seat primers at ~.002-.004" using Win SP and SR and have no problems. No problems with CCI SP or Federals either at .002-.004" depth.

Titegroup is not as clean as VV N320. I typically don't field strip the pistol and clean until I get at least 2K rounds through it. I don't have issues with powder residue us TG. Is the clean? No. But it cycles and feeds fine.

I've used Clays in .40 S&W and really liked its feel. Haven't tried it in 9mm but probably should. Since I have nearly 10lbs of TG it will be awhile before I test it. If it feels as good in 9mm as it does in .40S&W I might change. I think Clays is about the same price as TG.

Hope this helps.